The major overall objective of the project is to assess in persons over 62 the relationship between stress/coping efficacy and nutritional intake, morale, physical symptomatology, and the development and exacerbation of specific medical disorders. In order to measure chronic daily stresses as well as potentially major stressors, subjects are tested at multiple times. Repeated measures over time include nutritional assessments, stress and coping measures, mood, physiological data including weight, blood pressure, 17 hydroxycorticoids and immune function, and health outcomes including symptoms, specific diseases and use of medical services. This study enables identification of some of the factors that place older persons at medical risk and may have substantial public health benefit by suggesting where clinical and medical services might focus for preventive efforts. Following about two and on-half years of this longitudinal study, participants will receive training specifically aimed at increasing their feelings of self efficacy by teaching a set of generalizable coping skills. The effects of this intervention will then be assessed. It is expected that this training and the resultant increased efficacy will affect responses to stressful situations, and thereby impact significantly on health outcomes. Such findings would have great significance for identifying strategies for improving the health and well-being of older Americans.